Owls, Ovens & Aquariums

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

ABT Electronics called my cell and gave me a two-hour delivery window of 11 to 1 that morning so we headed to the house to wait.

Ayize rode his trike up and down the street and plucked the neighbor's Japanese pine idly -- yikes! -- out of dramatic boredom. He brightened periodically, however, when this one type of bird I've heard since childhood gave out its mournful, "Hoo-ha-hoo" call every ten minutes. Each time it happened, he spun about wildly, searching the trees. "Mama, owl! Owl!" (He's been obsessed with owls recently, ever since we started listening to this Jane Yolen story, Owl Moon, while driving in the car.) Then, it was back to Boredom Alley. He soooo wanted to go to the park, and I felt bad about keeping him to our one-block confinement, but I was also raring to have my new stove delivered, woo hoo!

Eniz and Casey, our electricians, came out on the front porch for lunch, and Ayize dashed up the front steps happily to sit with "the guys."

He noshed on a box of Cheerios, watching them, and nodding importantly at the appropriate junctions while we shot the shit about kids, cars, houses...then a moment later, he was gone.

I went down the front steps, calling his name, and there he was -- squatting on the front lawn, out of sight because of my tall hedges, dumping his Cheerios all over the grass.

"Ayize, what are you doing, honey?? That's your snack!"

"Owl eat, Mama!"

Future wildlife rehabilitator, mayhap?

And then -- just like in that old flick, Poltergeist...they were heeeee-eeere!

This young dude did the heavy legwork. He scowled and grumbled to himself because the stove wouldn't fit through my garden gate until he removed the front door and squeezed it through. He would have had to do this anyway, to get the stove through my back door and kitchen door, but he was clearly unhappy with the situation nevertheless.

(Or -- maybe he was just irritated with my running around snapping pictures like a crazy chick LOL. In my defense, I DID ask him if I could shoot them first, though I could hardly comprehend his mumbled reply. But I was just so happy to have my stove!)

And then our old stove went bye-bye. I felt terribly nostalgic to see it go. Not because it was something I'd been around for years, but because the previous owners had had it forever, and had even decorated it to match the rest of the kitchen.

My electricians (note their van in the driveway behind the stove) laughed when I took a photo of it -- "Don't wanna forget that custom sponge-painting job!" -- and I had to laugh, too, but I still couldn't help myself.

Goodbye, old stove! May you be recycled into something really fun, like a kid's scooter, next time around!

And so began my new stove's journey in our little house. It seems quite happy to be here!

Can I just say again that I am in love with this stove?? I love its heavy, child-proofed door! I love its sturdy handle! I love that the oven light is on top, away from prying fingers! I love that it's super easy to clean the stovetop! I love that it has a self-clean function for the inside! I love that the burners are child-proofed! And I could go on...

Our vent, up top, fit quite perfectly under the cabinet as well. The only drag was that the cabinet doors extend down an inch from the bottom of the cupboard, so I'll have to saw them shorter before re-hanging them. But our ABT installation guy was very kind and saved all the hinges and screws for me so I could re-attach it when I was ready.

I noticed his shirt embroidery said Marquette (ABT, like Marriott, is big on having their employees openly display their hometown) and I asked him if he was from Marquette, Michigan. This man went from methodical and reserved to bright and snappy in two seconds flat. He was so excited to talk about Marquette, as was I (I spent time there as a kid, and then re-visited it about six times to see Baby Daddy -- he went to school out there -- and it remains one of my favorite places to visit to this day).

Anyway, the installation was complete, and Ayize was already running around the living room, grabbing screwdrivers and stray wiring and a piece of the bathroom vent LOL in his attempt to "assist" Eniz and Casey (one of his favorite activities) so I bade farewell to Mark from Marquette and Ayize and I headed out the door with a backwards wave to the guys.

He went down for a nice long nap and woke up just in time to hit Cartwright Park with Brianna.

The big stone slide never grows old. I remember playing Cops and Robbers on this thing when I was a kid.

Brianna was giggling because some combination of the damp air and wind and sun and made the ride a super sloooooooow one.

"Wheeeeeeeee! eeeeeee! eeeeeeeeeee!"

(Okay, is this ride over yet??)

Picking through the rocks is always fun, too.

Weeman remained on the alert for any intruders as the kids played!

Ayize let the stones slip through his fingers like sand and he looked so cute, like he was praying.

We were there about an hour when my phone rang. It was my old pal Leslie, calling to say she was nearing my house. We headed home in a hurry as she had a very special delivery...

...a betta fish named that she'd recently rescued from a Purim carnival! He'd been living in this little bowl for a few weeks, so I used the cup to transfer him into our aquarium which we'd started preparing several days before for his arrival.

And here he is, our beautiful new buddy, Beauregard!

Who has been the best betta ever, by the way. He comes when called (no joke), gives "kisses" through the tank wall when beckoned (much to my parent's delight), is a totally chill dude who never shows aggression at other betta photos (he's too cool for that kind of stuff), does tricks (a barrel roll), hides in his castle thinking he's clever (though his long tail fins trail out and invariably give him away), and loves to perch on the top of his filter, blowing air bubble nests and sucking oxygen out of them when he's happy (which is most of the time).

Beau, we love you!

And are looking forward to the day we get all settled in our new house and welcome you to both your new home, and your new (aquarium) home!

We have big plans for you, little buddy...wait and see.